Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoCOURTNEY HERGESHEIMER | DISPATCHGabriel Cordell and bicycling companion Derek Gibbs head east on Rt. 40 near West Jefferson during Cordell’s cross-country trip in a standard wheelchair.

Under a warm afternoon sun yesterday, Gabriel Cordell was rolling rhythmically along Rt. 40 in
western Franklin County.

Again and again, he hunched his shoulders, placed his gloved hands on the wheels of his
wheelchair and shoved himself forward.

Cordell travels at about 7 mph — a pace he initially thought would put him near his goal of West
Hempstead, N.Y., by now, 82 days after leaving Santa Monica, Calif.

Except that Cordell keeps getting stopped.People see him along the shoulders of busy highways —
vehicles zooming past, dangerously close — and want to know his story.

He tells them he was paralyzed in a car accident 21 years ago and abused drugs as recently as 11
months ago.

When he sobered up, he decided he wanted to do something to inspire other people.

His cross-country trip to his New York hometown began on March 31.

“It’s about challenging themselves,” he said, “looking at themselves and seeing if they are
living up to their potential — and if they’re not, then why not? What can you do to better
yourself?”

Cordell, 42, of Burbank, Calif., is accompanied by a crew of seven people, most of whom are
employed by an independent film company that is shooting footage for a planned documentary.

Several people ride in a “chase” car that stays close by for safety. Several others ride in a
recreational vehicle, where Cordell sleeps.

Derek Gibbs rides a bicycle next to Cordell and wears a bright-green jersey — again, for
safety.

Cordell prefers wheeling himself across the country in a “regular-joe” wheelchair, he said,
instead of a racing chair, as several others have done.

“I want to represent the everyday person,” he said. “I want to be relatable.”

He has avoided injury (“not even a blister,” he said) and suffered just one flat tire in more
than 2,200 miles.

Lisa France is directing the movie crew following Cordell.A native of Dublin, she played
basketball in college and overseas.

“As an athlete, I know what it takes to get up every single day and kill it,” she said. “So for
a regular guy to train and motivate himself to do this, I am pretty darn impressed.”

Cordell was born Suheil Aghabi in a Libyan refugee camp to Palestinian parents and moved to the
United States at age 5.He adopted the stage name Gabriel Cordell when he became an actor and landed
roles in several TV series.

During his journey, Cordell has been approached by a wide range of people — from young children
to Vietnam War veterans.

Many of them have been moved to help by donating money (one little girl gave him $3), water or a
sandwich.

A police officer in Ohio stopped and told Cordell that his daughter has spina bifida.A man in
Oklahoma broke down in tears, impressed that Cordell was doing something so difficult.

So he doesn’t complain that his original plan to reach New York has been thrown way off
schedule.He hopes to make it by mid-July.

“I appreciate every single time I’m stopped; it doesn’t get old,” he said. “It’s humbling.
Eleven months ago, I couldn’t even inspire myself. My daily job was being a drug user.

“So it’s just such a blessing that I get to wake up every morning and do this.”